Two carbon atoms forming in a straight chain pattern, double bonded together. Each carbon has 2 hydrogen atoms branched off of it.
Bond Types
Covalent bonding between 2 carbons and 4 hydrogens, with a double bond between the carbons to create an alkene. The H-C-H bond angle of ethene is 119 degrees.
Percentage Composition by Mass:
Hydrogen: 4 mol H multiplied by 1.00794 = 4.03176 g
4.03176 g / 28.05316 g = 14.4%
Carbon: 2 mol C multiplied by 12.0107 =24.0214 g
24.0214 g / 28.05316 g = 85.6%
Percentage Composition by Number:
Hydrogen: 4/6 = 66.6%
Carbon: 2/6 = 33.3%
Background Information
Ethene is believed to be discovered by Johann Joachim Bechem, in which he obtained ethene through the heating of ethanol and sulfuric acid. He later talked about this gas in his book, Physica Subterranea in 1669. About 110 years later, Josephy Priestly briefly mentioned ethene in Experiments and observations relating to the various branches of natural philosophy: with a continuation of the observations on air. In 1795, ethene's properties were studied by four Dutch chemists who found it different than a typical hydrogen gas due to its carbons. Through many years of research, ethene has been credited as playing an important role in the processes of plant growth, plant development, and eventually plant death. Ethene is a natural plant hormone created by plants and plant products within their tissue.
How Ethene Is Obtained and Where It Can Be Found
Today, ethene is obtained petrochemically through steam cracking. Steam cracking is the process of heating gaseous or light liquid hydrocrabons, which creates many free radical reactions. These radical reactions are then "quenched" right away to stop them. Doing this changes large hydrocarbons into smaller ones and creates unsaturated hydrocarbons. Ethene is separated from this mixture of hydrocarbons through compression and distillation. The steam cracking process is highly advanced, and consists of many complicated steps to achieve its goal: Ethene.
Ethene can also be found in natural sources, such as fruit, vegetables, and plants. It is produced from leaves, stems, roots, flowers, tubers, and seedlings. The plant naturally induces ethene production in critical stages of its life, such as ripening of fruits and germination. It may also be induced by the creation of external factors, such as wounding, environmental stress, and the presence of certain chemicals.
Reaction Tendencies
Ethene has seven major industrial reactions it is commonly used for. The products of these reactions are what make ethene such an important, flexible hydrocarbon.
Polymerization - Used for the creation of polyethylene, the world's most widely-used plastic. Polyethylene is mainly used to make films used in packaging, trash-liners, and plastic gloves.
Polymerization reaction of ethene.
Halogenation - Creates products such as trichloroethylene (industrial solvent) and methyl chloroform (solvent, ozone-depleting)
Hydration - May hydrate ethene to create ethanol. This process is not widely used industrially.
Hydroformylation - Creates propionaldehyde (propanal), used for an important part of the production process of alkyd resins.
Oxidation - Produces ethylene oxide, a crucial raw material in the production of surfactants and detergents. Also produces ethylene glycol, an automotive antifreeze.
Alkylation - Creates ethylbenzene,a precursor to styrene. Styrene is used in polystyrene for packaging and insulation uses.
Oligomerization - Produces precursors, detergents, plasticisers, lubricants, and additives.
Uses
In 2010, ethene was produced by at least 117 companies in 55 countries, and around 90 percent of ethene is used to make ethylene oxide, ethylene dichloride, ethylbenzene, and many varieties of polyethylene. By seeing these many different uses and products of ethene reactions, we can all learn just how important it is to our everyday lives, and without it how different things would be. We would not have such useful products like plastic gloves, ethanol, detergents, insulation materials, or automotive antifreeze. Ethene's importance is extremely great, and without it we would suffer because our major food sources would suffer. Without ethene, plants, fruit, and vegetables would grow at a much slower rate, or yield growth completely, which would directly hinder human populations in all areas of the world.
By: Russell
Chemical Properties
Look at all that ethene, kids!
Table of Contents
Structure
Arrangement of Atoms
Two carbon atoms forming in a straight chain pattern, double bonded together. Each carbon has 2 hydrogen atoms branched off of it.Bond Types
Covalent bonding between 2 carbons and 4 hydrogens, with a double bond between the carbons to create an alkene. The H-C-H bond angle of ethene is 119 degrees.Percentage Composition by Mass:
Hydrogen: 4 mol H multiplied by 1.00794 = 4.03176 g4.03176 g / 28.05316 g = 14.4%
Carbon: 2 mol C multiplied by 12.0107 =24.0214 g
24.0214 g / 28.05316 g = 85.6%
Percentage Composition by Number:
Hydrogen: 4/6 = 66.6%Carbon: 2/6 = 33.3%
Background Information
Ethene is believed to be discovered by Johann Joachim Bechem, in which he obtained ethene through the heating of ethanol and sulfuric acid. He later talked about this gas in his book, Physica Subterranea in 1669. About 110 years later, Josephy Priestly briefly mentioned ethene in Experiments and observations relating to the various branches of natural philosophy: with a continuation of the observations on air. In 1795, ethene's properties were studied by four Dutch chemists who found it different than a typical hydrogen gas due to its carbons. Through many years of research, ethene has been credited as playing an important role in the processes of plant growth, plant development, and eventually plant death. Ethene is a natural plant hormone created by plants and plant products within their tissue.
How Ethene Is Obtained and Where It Can Be Found
Today, ethene is obtained petrochemically through steam cracking. Steam cracking is the process of heating gaseous or light liquid hydrocrabons, which creates many free radical reactions. These radical reactions are then "quenched" right away to stop them. Doing this changes large hydrocarbons into smaller ones and creates unsaturated hydrocarbons. Ethene is separated from this mixture of hydrocarbons through compression and distillation. The steam cracking process is highly advanced, and consists of many complicated steps to achieve its goal: Ethene.
Ethene can also be found in natural sources, such as fruit, vegetables, and plants. It is produced from leaves, stems, roots, flowers, tubers, and seedlings. The plant naturally induces ethene production in critical stages of its life, such as ripening of fruits and germination. It may also be induced by the creation of external factors, such as wounding, environmental stress, and the presence of certain chemicals.
Reaction Tendencies
Ethene has seven major industrial reactions it is commonly used for. The products of these reactions are what make ethene such an important, flexible hydrocarbon.Uses
In 2010, ethene was produced by at least 117 companies in 55 countries, and around 90 percent of ethene is used to make ethylene oxide, ethylene dichloride, ethylbenzene, and many varieties of polyethylene. By seeing these many different uses and products of ethene reactions, we can all learn just how important it is to our everyday lives, and without it how different things would be. We would not have such useful products like plastic gloves, ethanol, detergents, insulation materials, or automotive antifreeze. Ethene's importance is extremely great, and without it we would suffer because our major food sources would suffer. Without ethene, plants, fruit, and vegetables would grow at a much slower rate, or yield growth completely, which would directly hinder human populations in all areas of the world.3-D Model
References
Websites:Wikipedia - Ethylene
Ethylene Gas
Ethene Market Studies
Images:
Ball and Stick Model
Fruit Stand